Grab has decided to spend up to VND70 million (around USD3 million) on the measures.

Grab to stand by partners

Regarding the financial support package of VND70 billion, Nguyen Thai Hai Van, CEO of Grab Vietnam, said “It is the latest effort of Grab to work with the Vietnamese government in the struggle against Covid-19. This is expected to help stimulate the economy, protect livelihoods and create the most favourable conditions for partners to maintain their operation on Grab’s platform in order to provide the best possible services to customers.”

“Grab can provide this financial package as the firm has been trying to optimise its operating costs and changing the calculation of GrabRewards points, which has seen great contribution from Grab Vietnam’s employees,” Van added.

A sizeable part of the package will be used for assisting driver-partners. Specifically, drivers who work hard and test positive for Covid-19 by the health authorities will not have to pay their treatment fees. They will also be offered a subsidy of VND10 million (USD435) in cash.

When drivers are quarantined in line with regulations, they will be supported with VND100,000 (USD4.35) daily for 14 days.

Grab intensifies protection for driver-partners amid Covid-19

For drivers who work well and have been working for Grab for a long time, the company will have policies to ensure that their income during the Covid-19 epidemic will be equal to their average level before the crisis.

Apart from this, Grab will work with banks to ask for lower interest rates and extended loan repayments for GrabCar drivers who meet the firm’s work requirements.

Asked about the VND70-billion financial support package, GrabCar driver Nguyen Van Trieu, said that “I’ve worried a lot since Covid-19 outbreak. However, being a driver, I can’t refuse to transport passengers. Thanks to Grab’s this package, I feel much more secure.”

Tiet Viet Duy, a GrabCar driver in HCM City, said that “No one wants to be a Covid-19 patient to receive the company’s assistance. With this package and Grab’s other measures for Covid-19 prevention such as car sterilisation, free mask supply and shield installation, we feel much safer and not lonely in the epidemic.”

Safer every day with Grab

This is not the first time Grab has launched such activities for its driver-partners. Since the first days of Covid-19 outbreak, Grab has issued a range of initiatives and practical activities to ensure its drivers’ safety during their work.

For instance, Grab quickly co-operated with senior experts to produce documents in the form of posters and leaflets to disseminate the information about Covid-19 as well as ways for drivers to protect themselves.

Grab requested all drivers-partners to wear a mask. The firm has applied new initiatives which are very helpful for drivers for Covid-19 prevention including:

- Carrying out the Covid-19 sterilisation for thousands of Grab cars in Danang, Khanh Hoa and Hanoi.

-Implementing shield installation campaign for Covid-19 prevention for hundreds of GrabCar driver-partners in Hanoi, HCM City and Danang.

- Providing 15,000 masks free of charge and 15,000 sets of GrabCare gifts, including gloves, masks and hand wash, for drivers in many localities nationwide.

These activities are being actively conducted by Grab. With these concerted efforts, Grab has underlined its commitment not only to its driver-partners but also all people in Vietnam.